Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-2brh9 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-27T21:45:56.504Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

A comparison of different breeds and crosses from the suckler herd 2. Carcass characteristics

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

A. J. Kempster ,
G. L. Cook  and
J. R. Southgate
A. J. Kempster
Affiliation:
Meat and Livestock Commission, PO Box 44, Queensway House, Bletchley, Milton Keynes MK2 2EF
G. L. Cook
Affiliation:
Meat and Livestock Commission, PO Box 44, Queensway House, Bletchley, Milton Keynes MK2 2EF
J. R. Southgate
Affiliation:
Meat and Livestock Commission, PO Box 44, Queensway House, Bletchley, Milton Keynes MK2 2EF
Get access

Abstract

A comparison was made of the carcass characteristics of purebred Galloway, Luing and Welsh Black steers, and crossbred steers out of Blue-Grey and Hereford × Friesian dams by Aberdeen-Angus, Charolais, Devon, Hereford, Limousin, Lincoln Red, Simmental, South Devon and Sussex sires, in winter and summer fattening systems. A total of 1430 cattle were involved and the trial extended over 6 years.

The cattle were slaughtered when their fatness was estimated, using the Scanogram ultrasonic machine, to be in fat class 3L of the Meat and Livestock Commission Beef Carcase Classification Scheme. Carcasses were evaluated using a standardized commercial cutting technique.

The data for crossbred and purebred cattle were analysed separately within the fattening system using leastsquares models, which included effects for year, sire breed and dam breed, and with regression on age at the beginning of the trial and carcass subcutaneous fat concentration estimated by visual appraisal.

Limousin and Charolais crosses killed out best. Their carcass weights were, on average, 20g/kg live weight heavier than those of Aberdeen-Angus, Devon, Hereford and Lincoln Red crosses. There was a range of 20 to 30 g/kg carcass weight between sire breeds in carcass saleable meat yield: the highest values were recorded for the Limousin crosses (evaluated on winter fattening only) followed by Charolais and Aberdeen-Angus crosses; Lincoln Red crosses had the lowest values among the crossbreds and Luing cattle among the purebreds. These differences were more a reflexion of differences in fat trim than of differences in meat to bone ratio.

Continental sire breeds had significantly more of their total saleable meat in the higher-priced cuts (P<0·05), although the range between sire breeds was only 15 g/kg.

Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 35 , Issue 1 , August 1982 , pp. 99 - 111
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1982

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Adams, N. J., Garrett, W. N. and Elings, J. T. 1973. Performance and carcass characteristics of crosses from imported breeds. J. Anim. Sci. 37: 623–628.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bech Andersen, B., Liboriussen, T., Kousgaard, K. and Buchter, L. 1977. Crossbreeding experiment with beef and dual-purpose sire breeds on Danish dairy cows. III. Daily gain, feed conversion and carcass quality of intensively-fed young bulls. Livest. Prod. Sci. 4: 19–29.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Frahm, R. R., Peterson, S. H., Beerwinkle, D. L., Walters, L. E. and Eason, J. 1980. Anim. Sci. Res. Rep., Agric. Exp. Stn, Okla. St. Univ., pp. 1–6.Google Scholar
Fredeen, H. T., Martin, A. H., Weiss, G. M., Slen, S. B. and Sumption, L. J. 1972. Feedlot and carcass performance of young bulls representing several breeds and breed crosses. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 52: 241–257.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Harries, J. M., Williams, D. R. and Pomeroy, R. W. 1975. Prediction of comparative retail value of beef carcasses. Anim. Prod. 21: 127–137.Google Scholar
Kempster, A. J. 1980. Fat partition and distribution in the carcasses of cattle, sheep and pigs: a review. Meat Sci. 5: 83–98.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kempster, A. J., Cook, G. L. and Smith, R. J. 1980. The evaluation of a standardized commercial cutting technique for determining breed differences in carcass compositon. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 95: 431–440.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kempster, A. J., Cook, G. L. and Southgate, J. R. 1982. A comparison of the progeny of British Friesian dams and different sire breeds in 16- and 24-month beef production systems. 2. Carcass characteristics, and rate and efficiency of meat gain. Anim. Prod. 34: 167–178.Google Scholar
Kempster, A. J., Cuthbertson, A. and Smith, R. J. 1976. Variation in lean distribution among steer carcasses of different breeds and crosses. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 87: 533–542.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kempster, A. J. and Harrington, G. 1980. The value of ‘fat-corrected’ conformation as an indicator of beef carcass composition within and between breeds. Livest. Prod. Sci. 7: 361–372.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kempster, A. J. and Owen, M. G. 1981. A note on the accuracy of an ultrasonic technique for selecting cattle of different breeds for slaughter at equal fatness. Anim. Prod. 32: 113–115.Google Scholar
Koch, R. M., Dikeman, M. E., Allen, D. M., May, M., Crouse, J. D. and Campion, D. R. 1976. Characterization of biological types of cattle. III. Carcass composition, quality and palatability. J. Anim. Sci. 43: 48–62.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Koch, R. M.Dikeman, M. E., Lipsey, R. J., Allen, D. M. and Crouse, J. D. 1979. Characterization of biological types of cattle—cycle II. III. Carcass composition, quality and palatability. J. Anim. Sci. 49: 448–460.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Limousin and Simmental Tests Steering Committee. 1976. Report of the evaluation of the first importation into Great Britain in 1970/71 of Limousin bulls from France and Simmental bulls from Germany and Switzerland. Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London.Google Scholar
Meat and Livestock Commission. 1974. Standard conditions of deadweight purchase for cattle, sheep, pork and cutter pigs. Meat and Livestock Commission, Bletchley, Milton Keynes.Google Scholar
Meat and Livestock Commission. 1975. Progress on beef carcase classification. Mktg Meat Trade Tech. Bull., No. 22. Meat and Livestock Commission, Bletchley, Milton Keynes.Google Scholar
Southgate, J. R., Cook, G. L. and Kempster, A. J. 1982. A comparison of different breeds and crosses from the suckler herd. 1. Live-weight growth and efficiency of food utilization. Anim. Prod. 35: 87–98.Google Scholar